A team of Special Task Force (STF) personnel seized more than 220kg of explosives from the Hambantota area today (March 15).

According to Police, a lorry bearing the explosives was travelling along the lower Andarawewa road in Hambantota, when personnel signalled for it to stop. The driver of the vehicle ignored the signal which led the STF personnel to give chase and eventually caught up with the vehicle in the Sooriyawewa area.

The STF personnel who inspected the lorry found nine bags of ammonium nitrate each weighing 25kg, 100 electric detonators and 196 sticks of gelignite.

The explosives, the lorry and the suspect have been handed over to the Hambantota Police, Special Task Force (STF) Commandant Senior DIG M.R.Lathiff said.